Poppy Dursley
by priscilla.myers
Summary: Poppy Dursley loves her mother and father, but when she begins to display magical abilities, her mother gets scared and leaves them. Dudley turns to Harry (with whom he finally has a positive relationship after the war) for help and we follow Poppy off to Hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1: The Flowers

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and I am in no way affiliated with Harry Potter.**

 **CHAPTER ONE: THE FLOWERS**

Dudley Dursley was a happy man. He and his cousin Harry finally had a positive relationship, and he was happily married to beautiful Evangeline, and their daughter, Poppy, was the happiest, cutest girl he had ever seen. Of course, being her father, Dudley may have been a little biased.

His family didn't know that Harry was a wizard. They had both decided it was for the best to keep it a secret, and so far things were moving along great.

Harry, Ginny, and their three children came around once a week for Sunday Roast, and they all celebrated Easter and Christmas together, but never at the Potters', because there was no way to hide the fact that they were magical at their place.

Harry was also very happy to finally have a relationship with his cousin. After the war, one of the first things he had done was go to find the Dursleys, and make sure they were alright. Dudley was the only one glad to see Harry alive, despite his many injuries. He had begged Harry to return to Private Drive to recover, but Vernon had put his foot down, refusing to allow Harry back into the house. So Dudley had followed Harry back to Grimmauld Place for a couple of weeks, where he learnt more about Harry and the magical world than he ever thought possible, such as that magic was unpredictable and could pop up in any family, at any time.

So it came as no surprise to Dudley when, at the age of ten, Poppy made the dried flowers that Evangeline insisted on keeping in the living room suddenly bloom and float around the room.

Of course, this was very unexpected to Evangeline, and she reacted badly. Very badly.

'What is wrong with her?' She screamed, when she came into the room and saw Poppy pointing at the floating flowers and making them change colours.

'There's nothing wrong with her, she's a witch.' Dudley replied, crossing the room to try to calm his wife down. 'My cousin Harry is a wizard, so was his mother, Lily. Harry warned me this could happen, but there's nothing wrong with Poppy, I promise, she just has a gift.'

'A gift? Look at her! She's a little freak!'

'Mummy, what's wrong, don't you like my flowers? Here, this one is for you.' Poppy pointed at a blue rose, and made it float towards her mother.

Evangeline screamed, and ran from the room.

'Daddy, why is Mummy scared of me? Am I really a freak?' Poppy cried as all the floating flowers turned brown again and fell to the floor.

Dudley quickly crossed the room again and took Poppy into his arms.

'Don't cry sweetie, you're not a freak. You're a witch. And there's nothing wrong with that. Your Uncle Harry is a wizard, and your Auntie Ginny is also a witch. Listen, how about we go and visit them, and they can explain things to you and Mummy, what do you think sweetie?'

'Okay Daddy,' Poppy sniffed, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. 'Let's go see Uncle Harry and Auntie Ginny.'

'Alright honey, you wait here, and I'll go get your mother, alright? Don't worry, she'll come round sweetie.'

'Alright Daddy.'

Dudley gave his daughter one last hug, and went to find Evangeline. He found her in the bedroom, packing her clothes into a suitcase.

'What are you doing?' he asked, standing in the doorway.

'What does it look like I'm doing?' Evangeline screeched at him. 'I'm leaving! I can't stay here with that little freak, and you! You are to blame for this! How could you have not told me this before we were married?' she threw the last of her clothes into her suitcase, slammed it shut and pushed past a shocked Dudley into the hallway.

'Mummy, where are you going? Don't you want to come to Uncle Harry's place with us?' Poppy asked her mother.

'Get out of my way you little freak, don't touch me!'

Dudley came running down the hall, and pulled Poppy into his arms as Evangeline slammed the door shut behind her, yelling that she would send her lawyer round with papers as soon as she could.

'It'll be okay sweetie, don't cry, everything will be fine, I promise, shh, don't cry.' Dudley held Poppy as she cried, and wished he knew how to make everything better.


	2. Chapter 2: Harry Comes to Visit

**CHAPTER TWO: HARRY COMES TO VISIT**

'Harry please, I need you to come over right now,' Dudley said into the phone. 'I don't know what to do; Poppy hasn't stopped crying since Evangeline left. Please, I need your help.'

'Of course I'll come round Dudley,' came Harry's voice through the phone. 'Are the neighbours watching the yard?'

Dudley looked out the window. There was no one in sight.

'It's all clear Harry, you can come now. Let yourself in, I'll be in Poppy's room with her alright?'

'Alright, I'll see you real soon; tell Poppy I'll be right there.'

They clicked off, and Dudley went back to Poppy's room.

'Hey honey, Uncle Harry will be here any second now.'

'How can he be here any second? He lives an hour's drive away.'

'Magic sweetie, magic. Just like what you can use, only Harry knows more because he went to magic school. He'll tell you all about it real soon, I promise.'

'But-'

'Dudley? Poppy? I'm here.' Harry's voice came down the hall as he closed the back door. He had just Apparated into the Dursley's yard.

'How did he do that?' exclaimed Poppy, drying her eyes and sitting up on her bed.

'Harry will tell you. He'll explain everything sweetie, you'll see.'

'Hi Dudley. Hey Poppy. How's it going?' Harry had arrived in the doorway. He pushed his hair back, and Poppy saw the funny shaped scar on his forehead again. It looked the same as always, like a little lightning bolt.

'Oh Uncle Harry!' Poppy ran into his arms and started crying again. 'I made the brown flowers float and change colour, and Mummy called me a freak and left the house with all her clothes and I don't think she's coming back.'

'Oh Poppy, it'll be okay. You're not a freak. You're a witch. Just like Ginny and Hermione and Rose and little Lily. And I'm a wizard. It's nothing to be ashamed of. How about you show me what you did with the flowers, what do you say?'

'Are you sure Uncle Harry? Daddy, should I?' Poppy looked at Dudley, who nodded his head.

'Go ahead sweetie, show Uncle Harry what you can do.'

Poppy walked out of the room, leading Harry by the hand. Dudley followed, wondering what he would do about Evangeline. He couldn't believe she had reacted the way she had. He had expected a certain degree of shock of course, but not what had happened. She had reacted like Vernon and Petunia had every time Harry had mentioned or done something different and unexplainable.

They all arrived in the living room, and the two cousins sat on the couch while Poppy pointed silently at each brown flower on the floor. One by one, they all floated up into the air and bloomed again.

Harry applauded Poppy, who began to smile again. Dudley picked the flowers out of the air and placed them, still blooming, back into their vases. Poppy sat on the coffee table in front of the couch as Harry began to talk.

'Poppy, as you've been told, you're a witch. This means, when you turn eleven, that you will receive a letter by owl-'

'By owl? As in, the bird? An owl will bring me a letter? Really?'

'Yes, you will receive a letter by owl, usually Muggle families, that's what we call non-magic folk, get a visit from the headmaster or headmistress of Hogwarts, the Wizarding School. But since you're my niece, and Dudley has known about magic for so long, you'll get an owl. Your letter will include a welcome message from the headmistress, and a list of school supplies. I'll take you and Dudley to Diagon Alley to purchase your supplies. When you were born, I spoke to Dudley, and we decided to put away some wizarding money for you in case you were magical. If it turned out you weren't, we would have given the money on your wedding day.'

'What's Diagon Alley?' asked Poppy, her eyes wide with everything Harry was telling her.

'Diagon Alley is a wizarding shopping district in London. It's hidden behind a pub called The Leaky Cauldron.'

'Wow. Can we go there today?'

'Not today sweetie,' replied Dudley. 'When you get your letter we'll go. But we can always visit Harry and Ginny at their place, right Harry?'

'Of course,' said Harry, leaning back on the couch. 'Ginny and the kids can't wait for you and Dudley to come and visit. They were so happy to hear about your magic.'

'And what about Mummy?' asked Poppy, looking sad again.

'Well,' said Dudley, looking at Harry sadly. 'Mummy won't be coming with us. You know how scared she is of strange things, not that you're strange sweetie, but anything she sees as different, well, they scare her. I don't think Mummy will be coming back. I'm sorry sweetie.'

'Oh, okay,' said Poppy quietly. 'What if I didn't use my magic? Would she come back then?'

'Poppy, you can't not use your magic,' said Harry gently, lifting her chin up so he could look into her eyes. 'If you don't use your magic, it will explode out of you, and you could hurt the people close to you, or you could hurt yourself so bad you end up in St. Mungos, the wizarding hospital. I knew someone who's sister stopped using her magic, and it didn't end happily at all.'

'Oh. Alright Uncle Harry. I'll go to the magic school. Can you tell me about it? Do James, Albus and Lily go there? How do I get there? Can Daddy visit me?'

'Whoa, that's a lot of questions,' laughed Harry. 'Let's see, the school is called Hogwarts, as you know, and there's a little wizarding village near it called Hogsmead, which you can visit from the third year up. James, Albus and Lily do go there, along with their other cousins, Rose and Hugo. James is in his fifth year, Albus and Rose are in their fourth, and Lily and Hugo are second years. You'll leave in September from Kings Cross Station, at 11.00 on Platform 9 ¾, on the Hogwarts Express. Unfortunately, Dudley can't visit you at Hogwarts, but you can come home for the Christmas and Easter holidays if you want to. A few students choose to stay home for these holidays, especially those in the higher years, so they can use the extra time and quiet to study for their exams.'

'Wow,' said Poppy, starting to yawn. 'I can't wait to go.'

'Well,' said Dudley, picking her up. 'For now, it's bedtime. Say goodbye to Uncle Harry.'

'By Uncle Harry, thanks for coming over to explain things to me. I hope we'll get to visit you soon.'

'Good night Poppy. Dudley, come see us tomorrow, we'll all do lunch together.'

'Alright, thanks again Harry.'

'No problem. Do you mind if I Apparate from in here? I see that your neighbours are having a BBQ.'

'Sure, go for it. See you tomorrow.'

'What's Appa-' started Poppy, who's eyes grew wide when Harry winked at her and disappeared. Disappeared, from inside her living room. Once second he was there, the next, he was gone!


	3. Chapter 3: Uncle Harry's House

The next morning, Dudley informed Poppy that they were going to Harry and Ginny's for lunch. Poppy was very excited, she had never been to Harry's place before. She wondered how different it would be from her own.

Before they left, they made up a salad in the kitchen to take with them, and Poppy grabbed a couple of her favourite juices from the fridge to take with her to share with her cousins.

Once they were in the car, Poppy began shooting off questions.

'How is Uncle Harry's place different? Why have we never been before? Are there dragons? Do they have dragons? What about unicorns and fairies? Will we see those?'

'Poppy, you need to calm down,' laughed Dudley. 'Harry doesn't have dragons; they don't do well in captivity, but he has seen one hatch and grow for a few weeks, he fought one in his fourth year at Hogwarts, and rode one a few years ago after breaking it free of its confines in the deep caverns of the wizard bank. You can ask Harry for more information on that, he loves telling the story. There are unicorns in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts, you'll probably see them on the grounds at some point, and there are fairies, but I don't think there are any at Hogwarts or at Harry's. But there are gnomes in the garden, and they have some magical pets too.'

'Wow,' breathed Poppy, staring out the front window. 'I can't wait to see it all.'

They arrived at Harry and Ginny's house, and drove up the driveway. Poppy looked around, but didn't notice anything strange or abnormal. She saw a normal house, with bikes and boots littering the lawn. She felt a twinge of disappointment; until they passed the gate. There was a slight shimmer in the air, and she saw the Potters' house change. Now there was coloured smoke coming from the chimney, the bikes had been replaced with broomsticks, there were what looked like little potatoes running in and out of the hedge, and a few owls were perched in the tree next to the kitchen window, through which Poppy could see the dishes washing themselves. She stared around, not knowing where to look first.

'They're here! They're here!' came a yell, and Poppy saw her cousins come running around the side of the house. Harry and Ginny came out of the house and met them at the car.

'Welcome Poppy,' said Ginny, smiling. 'I'm so glad you were able to come visit us. I know this must be a huge shock, and things aren't going as well as they could be, but you are always welcome here. This is our home, The Hideaway.'

'Hi Ginny, thanks for having me. This place is amazing!' said Poppy, still looking around at everything.

'Come on Poppy, we'll give you the tour.' Said Lily, who was very excited that she no longer had to hide magic from her cousin.

The Potters took Poppy and Dudley on a tour of their house, starting with the outside. They showed Poppy the vegetable garden, where the pumpkins were so huge that Poppy just knew that magic was involved. She saw the walking potatoes, which turned out to be gnomes, and listened as Harry explained how you got rid of them. She first thought it was cruel, till one ran up to her and bit her on the ankle. Then she picked it up like Harry had demonstrated, and swung it around her head before launching it over the hedge.

'Wow Poppy! That one went further than Dad's!' squealed Lily.

Then her cousins showed Poppy their broomsticks. James and Albus showed off, since they were on the Gryffindor quidditch team. Lily rolled her eyes and showed Poppy how to mount the broom, and where to place her hands. Dudley watched apprehensively. Harry and Ginny tried to reassure him, telling him that the broom was perfectly safe. Poppy braced her legs, and pushed up from the ground. She rose a few feet, then drifted back down, white-faced and shaking.

'Poppy, are you alright?' Dudley came rushing over. He checked Poppy all over, and hugged her close.

'I'm alright Daddy,' said Poppy quietly, 'But I don't think I particularly like flying all that much.'

'That's alright Poppy,' said Harry. 'It's not for everyone. Come on; let's go inside, shall we?'

Once inside, Poppy's fear vanished, because there was so much to see. There was a strange plant in the hallway, which seemed to be moving by itself. The dishes in the kitchen were still washing themselves, and there was a marvellous clock hanging above the huge fireplace.

Instead of the time, there were words, like 'at home', 'at school', 'travelling', and even 'in prison'. And instead of hands, there were five silver spoons, each with a moving photo of each of the Potters. At the moment, all were pointed at 'home'.

There was also a pile of pink fluff sitting on one of the chairs in front of the fireplace. It seemed to be breathing. Seeing where Poppy was looking, Ginny smiled.

'That's Arnold, my pygmy puff. My brothers bred them for their joke shop in Diagon Alley. I'm surprised he's still alive to be honest, he's very old. I got him in my fifth year.'

'Wow, he's so fluffy; and pink.'

The photos in the lounge were also moving. Poppy was drawn to one with two people dancing in front of a fountain.

'That's my parents,' said Harry quietly, coming up behind her. 'James and Lily Potter. They were murdered.'

'I'm sorry,' said Poppy. 'I haven't lost a parent to death, but I have lost my mother, so I know a little how you feel.'

'You're very wise for a ten year old.' Said Harry, laying a hand on her shoulder. 'Come on, let's have lunch.'

After lunch, Dudley and Poppy headed off home, with Lily promising to send Poppy letters by owl, and Ginny pressing on her a rather large cake.

'So,' said Dudley, once they had left the Potters' land, and the house once again looked like a normal suburban house. 'What did you think?'

'I think it was amazing! When can we go back?'

'Soon, we'll come back soon.'


	4. Chapter 4: To Diagon Alley

**Two chapters in one day, how cool is that? I hope you all enjoy Poppy's first trip to Diagon Alley. This chapter ends rather abruptly, so I might just have to go and upload the next one. Please review and let me know what you think, this will help me to write further chapters.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, I am just a fan.**

On June fourteenth, Poppy's eleventh birthday, an owl flew in through the kitchen window with a letter attached to its leg. Poppy gazed at the owl for a few seconds, before leaning over and untying the letter. She gave the owl a soft pat, and pushed her bowl of cereal towards it. The tawny owl hooted softly at her, and ate a few of her cornflakes. Dudley came in just as it was taking off.

'Ah, I see you got your letter. Are you going to open it?'

Poppy was just staring at the letter in her hands. _Miss Poppy Dursley, The Pink Bedroom, 50 St. Peter's Road, Old Woking, Surry._ She had never seen such heavy parchment before.

'Yeah, I guess I should,' she said, still staring. Dudley smiled, and poured Poppy a glass of orange juice.

Poppy turned the letter over, and carefully opened it. She wanted to save this, her first letter from Hogwarts.

More heavy parchment slid out, covered with green ink.

 _Dear Miss Dursley,  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. __Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

 _Yours sincerely,  
Minerva McGonagall  
Headmistress _

The second sheet was a list of school supplies. Poppy read this over very carefully, not wanting to miss anything important.

 _HOGWARTS SCHOOL_ _  
_ _of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

 _UNIFORM_ _  
_ _First-year students will require:_ _  
_

Three sets of plain work robes (black)

 _One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_ _  
_ _One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_ _  
_ _One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)_ _  
_ _Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags._

 _COURSE BOOKS_ _  
_ _All students should have a copy of each of the following:_ _  
_

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)

 _by Miranda Goshawk_ _  
_ _A History of Magic  
by Bathilda Bagshot_ _  
_ _Magical Theory  
by Adalbert Waffling_ _  
_ _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration  
by Emeric Switch_ _  
_ _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_ _  
_ _by Phyllida Spore_ _  
_ _Magical Drafts and Potions  
by Arsenius Jigger_ _  
_ _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ _  
_ _by Newt Scamander_ _  
_ _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_ _  
_ _by Quentin Trimble_

 _OTHER EQUIPMENT_

 _1 wand_ _  
_ _1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_ _  
_ _1 set glass or crystal phials_ _  
_ _1 telescope_ _  
_ _1 set brass scales_

 _Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad._

 _PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS._

'Well,' said Dudley, who was now peering over Poppy's shoulder. 'Guess we should call Harry and find out when they're all going down to Diagon Alley, we can all go together, how does that sound?'

'That sounds great Daddy,' said Poppy, looking at him with her eyes shining. 'Can we call him now?'

'Of course we can sweetie.'

Dudley left the room to call Harry. They agreed to meet at the Leaky Cauldron later that day for lunch.

Poppy was so excited, she changed outfits three times, read her letter several more times, and was bouncing on her seat until Dudley said it was time to go.

She ran out to the car, and yelled for Dudley to hurry up. Dudley chuckled and ran out as well.

They drove into London, laughing together and going over Poppy's list again.

'It says that I need eight books. Only eight, how is that enough?'

'Well, Harry said that his friend Hermione always had more books than were on the list. Why don't you ask her when we meet everyone and see what she recommends? Harry says she's the smartest person he knows.'

'Alright, I'll ask her. I also need to get a cauldron, for brewing potions, some glass or crystal phials, a telescope, a set of scales, and a wand. I actually get a wand of my own! That is going to be so cool!'

'Yeah it will be,' said Dudley, 'Harry says Olivander's makes the best wands, remember?'

'Yeah, I remember. How much longer till we're there?'

'We're almost there now. We're going to park the car here, and walk over to the pub, right over there, see?'

'Oh I see them! Look Daddy, they're all standing outside! Oh come on, let's hurry!'

After parking the car, they hurried across the street to meet everyone at the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron.

'Hi Poppy!'

'Poppy, how are you? We missed you!'

'It's about time you got here, we've been waiting forever!'

James, Albus, Lily, Hugo and Rose swarmed around Poppy, and they all started talking excitedly about buying supplies, and the new school year. The adults, Harry and Ginny, Hermione and Ron, and Dudley all smiled at the children and begun to greet each other.

'How are you Dudley?'

'I'm good Harry. Ginny, how are you? Poppy is so excited about today, she just got her letter this morning and can't talk about anything else. Hermione, Ron, good to see you again.'

'It's good to see you too mate,' said Ron, 'especially since now we don't have to pretend to be muggles around Poppy. Have you heard from Evange-'

'Ron!' Hermione smacked him on the arm. 'Don't spoil this day for Poppy.'

'Sorry Dudley,' said Ron, looking embarrassed. 'I shouldn't have bought that up.'

'It's alright Ron,' sighed Dudley. 'We haven't heard from her since the divorce went through. Personally, I hope we never have to hear from her again. I can't believe the way she treated Poppy that day. It was horrible.'

Harry put his arm around Dudley, and Ginny smiled sadly at him.

'Why don't we head in for lunch, then start the shopping?' she said.

'Oh yes!'

'Let's do that!'

'Do we have to eat first?'

The kids, done with their catching up, had gathered around the adults and were pestering them to get moving.

After a lovely lunch inside the dimly lit pub, with many witches and wizards greeting Harry, Ron and Hermione, the large group finally headed out the back.

'It's just a brick wall,' said Poppy, looking around the small alley behind the pub. 'Where's Diagon Alley?'

'Watch,' said Harry, as Ron grinned and lifted his wand. He tapped the bricks several times, and they began to rearrange themselves into an archway, and Diagon Alley revealed itself to Poppy and the rest.

'Wow,' breathed Poppy, gazing in wonder at the scene before her.

Witches and wizards, dressed in all sorts of bright clothes, from muggle wear to rich robes, were going from shop to shop, all talking loudly and laughing. And the shops themselves were amazing to look at. The window displays varied from bright and colourful, like the robes in the front of Madam Malkin's, to dark and kind of scary, like the potion ingredients displayed in the windows of the Apothecary. Then there were the stalls and vendors walking up and down the alley, trying to sell their goods, like dragon roasted chestnuts and specialty quills in bright containers.

'Let's go check out the brooms Albus!' said James.

'I want to come too!' chimed in Hugo.

'Poppy, come and look at the dress robes with me and Rose?' asked Lily.

'Um,' said Poppy, looking at her father, 'I'm not sure.'

'Dudley, how about we take Poppy to Gringotts with us, then figure out a game plan, which the rest of the kids go their own way?' said Ginny, who had been passing her children small bags of money for them to spend while she and Harry got all their supplies. She had already gotten their measurements for new robes before they had left that morning, knowing that there was no way her children would stay still in Diagon Alley.

'Yeah, I think that sounds like a good idea,' said Dudley, feeling very relieved. 'What do you think Poppy?'

'Yeah, I think that would be good. Will Hermione and Ron be coming with us too?'

'Yes, we'll all go together,' said Hermione. 'There are some new books I want to pick up from Flourish and Blotts. The wizarding book store.' She added for Poppy's benefit, who looked confused.

'Um, Hermione, I was wondering if you could suggest any extra reading for me this year?' said Poppy shyly, 'The book list just seems so short to me, and Dudley said that Harry told him that you're the smartest witch of the age, so you might have some recommendations for me.'

'Oh of course.' Said Hermione, beaming at Poppy. 'There are many books I can recommend for you. What are you interested in?'

The other children stared at Poppy. They hadn't realised how much Poppy loved reading.

'Are you kids going to go explore or do you want to come with us?' asked Harry slyly, knowing that they would scatter in seconds. He was right; they tore their eyes from Poppy and Hermione, and promised to meet at Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes in a couple of hours.

The group of adults and Poppy then headed for Gringotts. Harry walked with Poppy and Dudley, explaining about the goblins and how the vaults worked. He then passed Poppy a small golden key, and told her that this was the key to the vault he and Dudley had set up for her.

'There should be enough gold in there to get you through Hogwarts, even with spending money for Hogsmead from year three to year seven. And we'll keep putting some in over the years for you.'

'Thank you Uncle Harry, and Daddy. Thank you so much.'

'Mr Potter. How are you today?' came a gruff voice.

'Hello Griphook, I'm well, how are you?'

The goblin scowled at Harry, 'The same as last time we spoke. I'll be assisting you today of course.'

'Of course. Thank you Griphook. By the way, this is my cousin, Dudley, and his daughter Poppy, who is starting Hogwarts this year.'

'Pleased to meet you sir,' said Poppy, smiling at Griphook.

'Hmph,' said Griphook, glaring at her. 'Another Potter. Fantastic.'

'Actually sir, I'm a Dursley.'

'Hmph.' Griphook walked away from them.

'We're supposed to follow him,' said Harry, 'And don't worry Poppy, all goblins are a bit gruff. Especially towards Ron, Hermione and I. We kind of destroyed the bank a few years ago.'

'Hey,' said Ron. 'The dragon did all the destroying!'

'The dragon?' asked Poppy, 'What did you guys do here?'

'Shh, we'll tell you later.' Said Harry as they caught up with Griphook and climbed into the cart.

They whooshed down the tunnels, stopping at Harry and Ginny's vault, then Ron and Hermione's, and finally, at Poppy's vault.

'Stand back,' said Griphook for the third time. 'And you three, stay in the cart. I still don't trust you.'

Dudley and Poppy climbed out and stood behind Griphook as he did something to the door. It opened with a slight creak, and Poppy saw quite a lot of gold in her vault. Her vault! She still couldn't believe it.

'We set aside this pile here for your first year,' said Dudley, walking in and producing a small leather satchel and passing it to Poppy, indicating the pile of money before him. 'This should be plenty to pay for your school supplies, and some left over for extra books and whatnot.'

Poppy placed her gold into the bag, and followed Dudley back out and into the cart. They whooshed back up the tunnels and back into the daylight.

'So,' said Poppy once they were outside. 'Tell me about the dragon!'

Harry and Ron laughed, and Hermione smiled. They told her about the search for the Horcrux, and how it was hidden in one of the oldest vaults, guarded by a dragon, and how they had freed the dragon and ridden it to safety.

Poppy stared at the wide eyed, not sure if she believed them, and Ron showed her a few scars he had gotten that day.

'Alright,' said Ginny, 'I hate to break up the memories of past crimes in the name of good, but it's time to shop. Madam Malkin's is just up here. Let's get your robes Poppy.'


	5. Chapter 5: A Wand, and a Surprise

**Alright! Another chapter! Woo hoo! Thanks everyone for the lovely reviews; you all make me want to keep writing. I've finished uni so I should have more time for writing now. This is the last pre-written chapter, the rest I'll be writing fresh so it may be a while between updates sorry, but I will endeavor to deliver to you.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Obviously. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction, I'd be publishing and making millions.**

 **Chapter Five: A Wand, and a Surprise**

Poppy's first stop in Diagon Alley, after Gringotts, was Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. The store was too small for all of them to enter, so Dudley, Harry, and Ron stayed outside while Hermione and Ginny took Poppy inside to get her robes.

'Hello dears, be with you in a moment.' Came a voice from out the back.

'Let's have a look over here Poppy,' said Hermione, leading Poppy towards the Hogwarts uniforms.

'None of them have the house crests on them,' said Poppy. 'I don't even know which house I'll be in, how am I supposed to buy my robes? Lily said that the robes have the house crests on them.'

'Calm down, it's alright,' replied Hermione. 'You only have the Hogwarts crest for the first day. Once you're sorted, the house elves will change your crest for you. They send the Hogwarts crests back to Madam Malkin, and apply the crest of your house. When you have to buy new robes, you'll know your house, and will be able to get your house crest applied here.'

'Oh, okay. That sounds easy.'

'Hello dears, welcome to Madam Malkin's.' A young woman came bustling out of the back, her arms laden with robes. She flicked her wand and they flew back to their places. 'What can I do for you all today?'

Ginny and Hermione handed over their children's measurements, and introduced Poppy.

'New student? Well, isn't this exciting. My mother, the late Madam Malkin, always loved outfitting new students. Come round the back dear. Stand here, that's it. Spread your arms.' She kept on talking to Poppy, who noticed that the measuring tape was measuring her by itself.

'Let's see, I think these will fit you nicely. Shoo you,' said Madam Malkin, the Second, to the measuring tape, which coiled itself up and returned to the desk. She then threw some robes over Poppy and was proud to say that she had chosen the right size, that no adjustments were necessary. Madam Malkin then found Poppy a selection of skirts, shirts and pants.

'Thank you so much for your help,' said Poppy, a few minutes after paying.

'Nonsense dear, it was my pleasure. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to assist these people. Oh and dears,' she addressed Ginny and Hermione, 'I'll send your orders to your houses by owl in a day or so.'

'Thank you Madam Malkin.'

'See you another time.'

As they were leaving, Poppy glanced at the new customers in the store. There were two boys, one around Poppy's age, with their father. The younger boy smiled at Poppy, and the elder pulled him away. The father, a sad looking man with white blonde hair, saw Poppy and gave her a small smile before turning to Hermione and Ginny.

'Hello Hermione, Ginny. How are you today?'

'Draco, it's good to see you,' said Hermione, with a warm smile. 'How have you been?'

'I've been well; and you?'

'Very busy. We have an extra to get ready for Hogwarts this year. This is Poppy, Harry's cousin's daughter. I'm sure you saw the guys on your way in?'

'Yes, I did. Ron wasn't very, er, social, but Harry greeted me kindly, and introduced his cousin. So, you're Poppy then?' he said, looking to Poppy.

'Yes sir, I am. Are you friends with my Uncle Harry?'

'Well, sort of. We went to Hogwarts together. My youngest is also starting this year; his brother is in year five. Boys, come say hello to Poppy.'

Draco's two boys came over, the eldest reluctantly.

'Hello Poppy, I'm Nate, good to meet you.' The younger boy came over and introduced himself with a big smile on his face. The older followed him, scowling still.

'Nathanial, 'Nate' is not a name fit for a Malfoy. I'm Scorpius.' Scorpius looked at Poppy and sniffed. 'Father, shall we?'

'Alright. Hermione, Ginny, nice to see you again, I expect I'll see you again on Platform 9 ¾. Have a good day.'

'Bye Draco, feel free to call around anytime.' Said Hermione. She squeezed his arm briefly, and they left the store.

'Hermione, why are you so nice to him?' Moaned Ron outside. 'He's such a git.'

'He is not Ron, get over it. Now, shall we go to the Apothecary and get the potion things, then meet the others at the bookstore?'

'Sure, let's do that.'

The Apothecary was damp and dark, and smelt like dirty socks. Poppy was fascinated, as was Dudley. Together, they looked in all the barrels and dared each other to touch the contents; neither of them did though.

Stepping out of the dark, damp store into the sunlight, Hermione and Ginny decided to go to the bookstore and gather all the required textbooks. Hermione promised to also gather some that she thought Poppy would enjoy.

'Why can't I go with you?' asked Poppy.

'Because, your father and Harry have a surprise for you.'

'Oh really? What is it?' asked Poppy, turning to her father and uncle.

'Well, before the surprise, we still have to get you a wand.' Said Harry, his eyes glinting.

'Oh, I can't believe I forgot about that!' exclaimed Poppy, shocked that she had indeed forgotten what had excited her the most. 'Let's go then!'

Harry led her and Dudley to Olivander's.

'The man who used to own this store passed away in his sleep a few years ago, the store is now being run by his nephew. Nice enough bloke, but I really miss Olivander. He sold me my wand you know. And my parents' as well. At least he went peacefully. Here we go.' Harry wiped away a tear, and held the door open for Dudley and Poppy.

Poppy gazed around, not sure what she expected a wand store to look like. She didn't expect thousands of small, thin boxes covering every surface, and dust everywhere.

'Ah, Mr Potter, how are you today?' The store owner, Olivander's nephew, came out from behind the counter. 'You're not here for a new wand, surely?'

'No Lukas,' said Harry. 'I'm here with my cousin, Dudley, and his daughter Poppy. She's here to get her wand.'

'Ah, hello sir. How are you today? And young miss, ready for your wand. Very exciting time. Hold this for me.' He passed Poppy a wand, and she took it in her hand. She only held it for a few seconds before it was whipped out of her hand.

'Nope, not that one. Hmm, try this one.' Lukas passed Poppy a second wand, and a third, and a fourth.

'May as well take a seat Dudley,' said Harry, finding a seat for himself. 'This is always a slow process.'

'Nonsense Mr Potter,' said Lukas, passing Poppy a tenth wand now. 'It could be any wand now, but nope, not that one. Try this one miss.'

Poppy took the eleventh wand she had been offered in her hand. She knew at once that this one was different. She felt a warmth in her hand that spread up her arm. She instinctively drew the wand through the air, and a stream of pink and white sparks flew gracefully from the end of it.

'Excellent, excellent!' exclaimed Lukas. 'Rosewood and unicorn hair, fourteen inches, unusual length, but no matter. That is the wand for you my dear.'

Poppy paid for her wand while Harry had his cleaned. As they were leaving the store, Poppy passed Nate who was heading in.

'Got your wand already? Oh you're so lucky! Dad said I could come and look while he finishes with Scorp in Madam Malkin's. What's your wand like? Can I see it?'

'Sure,' said Poppy, glad that she knew someone already. 'If it's alright with my uncle and dad?' she said, looking to Harry and Dudley.

'Sure, go ahead, show your friend your wand.' Said Harry with a smile. 'I'm Harry by the way, Harry Potter.' He said, extending his hand to Nate. 'And this is my cousin, Poppy's father, Dudley.'

'Wow, you're Harry Potter? I've heard so much about you from my dad. He says you're a great wizard. Wow.' Nate shook Harry's hand, then Dudley's, before turning back to Poppy. 'So can I see it?'

'Of course,' said Poppy, taking her wand out to show Nate. 'It's fourteen inches, rosewood, and contains a unicorn hair.'

'Wow,' breathed Nate. 'I can't wait to get mine! Oh, here comes my dad and brother now. Hey dad, look who I found!'

'Hello again Poppy, got your wand I see. Very nice. Unusual length, but lovely. Harry, good to see you again. And Dudley. I suppose we'll see each other again today. I apologise if I don't come by again though, lots to do still. Scorpius wants to look at brooms, even though he's not on the Quidditch team.'

'Father, I'll be on it this year. Nathanial, stop fawning over that wand and let's go.' Scorpius started to drag Nate into Olivander's.

'Bye Poppy, see you on the train!'

'Bye Nate, see you there.'

'How many times do I have to tell you Nathanial? No stupid nick names. We are Malfoys!' hissed Scorpius at Nate.

Draco shrugged at Harry and Dudley, and followed his sons.

'Well, Nate seems like a nice kid. Not sure about his brother though.' Said Dudley. 'I'm glad you know someone nice already Poppy.'

'Me too,' said Poppy. 'What are we doing now?'

'Well,' said Dudley, looking at Harry. 'Uncle Harry says that students can bring a pet with them to Hogwarts, so we're going to the Magical Menagerie so you can pick a pet, courtesy of Harry and I.'

'Oh really? A pet? And I can take it with me? Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!' Poppy hugged both her father and her uncle.

'What should I get? The letter said I could have an owl or a cat or a toad, but I never thought I would be getting one, so I haven't thought about it. I don't want a toad, they're so gross! A cat would be nice, but that means I have to clean the litter and what if it gets out? What do I do then? An owl would be nice, but they're not very cuddly.' Poppy babbled the whole way to the Magical Menagerie.

'Well,' said Harry, as they went in, 'I had an owl, and she was an amazing friend. Ron had a rat, who turned out to be an animangus; a wizard who could turn into an animal, you'll learn about them in transfiguration.' He said in regards to Poppy and Dudley's blank looks. 'Hermione has a cat, Crookshanks. He's very old now; I don't how he's still alive. But it's up to you; just find something that connects with you.'

'Alright,' said Poppy, looking around at all the animals. 'But there's so many, how do I know which is right for me?'

'You'll know.' Said Harry, leading Dudley away to look at the magical fish, which were blowing different coloured bubbles at each other.

Poppy gazed around, and decided to head over to the cats first. There were many cats lounging on cushions around a tree (a tree! In the store!). None of them looked up at her, and when she tried to pat one, it stood up and stalked away, tail in the air. Poppy sighed. _I guess a cat isn't for me then._ She heard a strange whooshing sound, then something landed on her head.

'What the?' Poppy carefully examined her head with her hands. She felt claws in her hair, followed by scaly legs, and soft feathers. She carefully lifted whatever it was off her head.

'Oh, hello there,' she said, looking at the small barn owl in her hands. 'Aren't you a beauty?'

'I'm so sorry miss!' A young woman came running up to her. 'That pesky owl got out of its cage as I was feeding it. Did it hurt you?'

'No, I'm fine. Does this owl have a name?'

'No, it doesn't. No one can usually get near it; it's a pest, being transferred to a sanctuary tomorrow. I'll take it off your hands.' The young woman reached for the owl, which opened its beak and screeched at her. Poppy held it closer to her.

'I don't think she likes you very much,' she said, as Dudley and Harry came over to investigate the disturbance.

'Of course it doesn't, it doesn't like anyone. It can get quite vicious. Hand it over and I'll lock it up.'

'No, I don't think she wants to be locked up in that tiny cage again.'

'She? How can you possibly know it's a she?'

'I, I just do,' said Poppy, holding the owl closer to her. 'And you can't have her, she's coming with me.'

'You don't want that owl, it's-'

'Yes I do, she's mine, and she's coming with me. You're scaring her.' The owl looked up at Poppy and hooted softly, rubbing it's head on her hand. Poppy smiled at it and asked the witch how much she wanted for the owl.

'A galleon. And we offer no returns.'

'That's fine, she'll take this one.' Said Harry. He helped Poppy pick out a cage and some food and owl treats for her new friend. The shop assistant huffed behind the counter when they paid, and they left the store with Poppy's new owl hooting happily in her cage.

'What are you going to call her?' asked Dudley as they made their way towards Flourish and Blotts.

'I'm not sure. Harry, what did you name your owl?'

'Oh, I named her Hedwig,' said Harry quietly. 'She was an amazingly loyal friend.'

'What happened to her?'

'Oh Poppy, let's not go there,' started Dudley.

'No, it's alright,' said Harry. 'Hedwig was a snowy white owl, my first friend. Hagrid, the games keeper at Hogwarts bought her for me my first trip into Diagon Alley. She was my owl for seven years, then one night, she gave her life to save mine.' Harry turned away, and Poppy and Dudley looked at each other awkwardly.

'Anyway,' Harry said gruffly, 'Here we are; Flourish and Blotts. Let's go meet the others shall we?'

'Sure, let's do that.' Dudley smiled at Harry. 'Let's go find the girls and Ron.'

Inside Flourish and Blotts, they had to jostle their way through the people, while avoiding the piles of books everywhere.

'Over here Harry, Dudley. Oh Poppy, what a lovely little owl, I've never seen a barn owl so small before. What's its name?'

'Hi, Hermione, I haven't named her yet, I'm not sure what to name her, but I'm sure I'll find something.'

'Maybe you'll find something in your textbooks. Also, I found these for you, you might enjoy these too.'

'Wow Hermione, that's a large pile,' said Dudley. 'I don't know if Poppy can carry all those.'

'Of course I can Daddy,' said Poppy, her eyes shining at the pie of books Hermione had found for her. 'I mean, I want to learn everything!'

'Alright, let's get these, then what do you guys say we all get dinner and head off? It is six o'clock.'

'Already? Wow. Alright, let's pay for these and get dinner at the Leaky Cauldron, what do you say?' Ginny asked the group. Everyone agreed, and Ginny and Hermione headed off to gather the rest of the kids who were waiting for them in Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.

Later that night at home, Dudley pulled a book out of Poppy's hands and turned off her light. She had fallen asleep reading one of the books Hermione had picked out for her, _Hogwarts: A History_. Dudley smiled as he left the room. He was glad Poppy had had a good day, she hadn't smiled much since Evangeline had left.


	6. Chapter 6: Off to Hogwarts

**Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own Harry Potter, it all copyright to JK Rowling. I am just a fan.**

 **Thank you all for the reviews and favourites. I hope you all enjoy reading this next chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please let me know what you think so I can continue to deliver more chapters.**

 **CHAPTER SIX: OFF TO HOGWARTS**

Over the next few months, Poppy read her new school books and dreamt about attending Hogwarts. She sent letters to her cousins with her new owl, who she had named Honey, and even did some basic potion brewing with Hermione at Harry and Ginny's house one night when they were invited over for dinner.

The week before September first, Dudley presented Poppy with a new trunk to pack her school supplies in. It was a lovely tan in colour, and had her name stamped in gold on the lid. Poppy absolutely loved it and spend two days packing all her school supplies in it just right.

On the eve of August 31st, the two sat down for a last dinner together. Poppy was bouncing with excitement, and promised to owl Dudley every day.

'Every day is a bit much, don't you think sweetie?' chuckled Dudley. 'Honey would get very tired travelling all that distance every day. How about once a week?'

'Oh, you're right Daddy, I couldn't do that to little Honey. I'm just so excited, but I know I'm going to miss you so much.'

'I'll miss you too sweetie, but this is a great opportunity for you, and I know you're going to have a great time. And don't worry about making friends, you'll have your cousins there to look out for you, and you already know one person. How is Nate by the way?'

'He's great, he said he'd meet me on the platform so we can sit together on the train.'

The day after their trip to Diagonally, Poppy had received a letter from a rather large and severe looking great grey owl. After Poppy had carefully taken the letter from its rather big leg and offered it a drink and an owl treat, it had flown off in a great gust of wind. Poor Honey had been terrified of the giant creature and had to be soothed before Poppy could open her letter.

 _To Poppy,_

 _How are you? I hope my brother's owl didn't scare you too much. His name is Titan and I had to bribe him to deliver this letter to you, so I hope it gets to you okay._

 _My own owl, Cinnamon, is recovering after a run in with my mum's cat. He's a burrowing owl and likes to tease other creatures. Hopefully this time he's learnt his lesson though. Scorp doesn't know that I borrowed Titan, but while I was getting my owl I heard the shopkeeper talking about how Harry Potter had bought an owl for his cousin's daughter, so I figured you could write back to me with your owl, I mean, if you want to be friends that is, which I hope you do because I don't know anyone else at Hogwarts apart from my brother and he's so much older than us and sort of stuck up._

 _I hope to hear back from you soon,_

 _Nate Malfoy_

Poppy had been so happy to hear from Nate that she had written back to him immediately. Harry had told her that owls knew where to deliver letters, so she wasn't worried that Honey would get lost, but she did ask Nate to make sure that Titan didn't scare her again. They had been exchanging letters for a couple of months and were both excited to meet up again, this time on the day they both left for Hogwarts.

'I'm so glad that you have a friend already Poppy, that should help make school a lot more fun for you.'

'I'm glad too Daddy, I can't wait to see Nate again. Do you think we'll be in the same house?'

'I'm not sure Poppy, maybe.' Dudley thought about what Harry had told them about the sorting process, how a magical hat determined where each student would be placed based on their personality. He supposed it was a good way to make sure that children wouldn't fight with each other too much by putting similar kinds of people together. Dudley just hoped that there wasn't too much hostility between different houses.

'Alright, time for bed. We have an early morning ahead of us.'

'Okay Daddy. Good night, see you in the morning.' Poppy kissed her father good night and headed off for bed. She was so excited she didn't think she'd be able to sleep, but soon after her head hit the pillow, she was asleep.

The next morning, Poppy and Dudley woke up early and drove over to the Potter's place with Poppy's trunk. Honey hooted happily in her cage as Poppy carried her into the house. She didn't want to leave Honey outside by herself.

'Hey Poppy! Hi Dudley!' the three Potter children were running around the house gathering last minute items, and Ginny was rushing around after them yelling that she had told them all to be ready last night.

'Oh, Dudley, Poppy, nice to see you,' panted Ginny. 'I swear, every year they say they're ready and then the day we leave they're not. Was it like this for you this morning Dudley?'

'Oh no,' laughed Dudley. 'Poppy was ready weeks ago. She's very excited to start at Hogwarts. Where's Harry?'

'He's in the kitchen, making up lunches for the kids. Do you have lunch for the train Poppy?'

'Yes, thanks Ginny. Daddy and I made it this morning. I even have some special treats for Honey and Cinnamon to enjoy on the train.'

'Who is Cinnamon?' asked Ginny, confused. 'You know you're only allowed one pet at Hogwarts, right?'

Poppy laughed. 'Cinnamon is Nate's owl. He's going to meet us on the platform so we can ride to Hogwarts together.'

'Not Nate Malfoy?' asked Ron, who had just arrived with Hermione, Rose, and Hugo. 'The Malfoys are arrogant jerks.'

'Ron!' admonished Hermione. 'If Poppy has found a friend in Nate then good for her.'

'What's wrong with the Malfoys?' asked Poppy.

'Nothing,' said Hermione with a smile. 'We went to school with Draco and we just didn't get along very well is all. He's changed now, he's actually quite pleasant.' She said, directing her final words at Ron's back.

Eventually, the chaos of the Potter house dispelled, and everyone packed their belongings into the cars and they were finally off to King's Cross Station and Platform 9 and 3/4.

At the station, Ron and Harry left to get trolleys, then they were all walking towards platforms 9 and 10. Poppy and Dudley had already been told how to get onto the platform, but being told and doing were two different things. They watched as Ron and Hermione took their children through, then Ginny took the Potter children through after them. Harry walked with Poppy and Dudley, and together they leaned against the barrier and fell softly through.

'Wow.' breathed Poppy, as she took in the steam train and all the people on the platform. There were children running around everywhere, and occasionally there was a loud bang as parents disapparated after farewelling their children. Dudley was also looking around in awe.

'Wow Harry,' he said. 'I wish I could have seen this years ago with you.'

'Don't worry about it mate,' replied Harry. 'It's in the past. What matters is where we are now. I'd better go say bye to the kids with Ginny. I'll be back in a minute.' Harry rushed off to where Ginny was standing with their children.

Dudley looked at Poppy who was looking around in awe. He was going to miss his little girl.

'So Poppy, where do you suppose Nate is?' he asked her.

'I'm not sure Daddy,' replied Poppy. 'He said he'd meet us on the platform, but it's so big. I don't know how he'll find us.'

'I'm sure he will sweetie.'

'Dudley, Poppy,' Harry was back. 'It's time to get Poppy's things up onto the train, it'll be leaving soon. Don't worry Poppy,' he added at the look of slight fear on Poppy's face. James will wait with you until Nate comes.'

'That's right Poppy,' said James, who had followed his father. 'My friends will be saving me a seat for later. Come on, let's get going.' He grabbed a hold of Poppy's trunk and began to drag it towards the train. Harry sighed and went with him, lifting it easily and carrying it onto the train. Poppy kept Honey close to her.

'Well,' said Dudley, 'I guess this is it. You ready?'

'Daddy,' Poppy said quietly, 'I'm scared.'

'Why honey? You'll be find. You have your cousins looking out for you, and Nate will be around here somewhere. You've already read most of your books, and Hermione gave you some extra lessons,'

'That's not it,' Poppy interrupted. 'I don't want to leave you.'

'Oh honey,' Dudley drew Poppy into a tight hug. 'You know you have to go and learn, Harry warned us what would happen otherwise. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. And so will you. And don't forget, we can send letter though Honey whenever you miss me.'

'I know,' Poppy sniffed. 'It's just such a change. I do want to go, I'm excited to learn, and I will write to you every week.' Poppy gave her father one last hug, and together they headed towards the train.

'Poppy! Poppy!' They turned around and saw Nate running towards them, Draco and Scorpius following behind, two trunks floating in front of Draco who was directing them with his wand. Scorpius was holding his great owl in a large cage, and poor Cinnamon was swaying in his cage in Nate's hand.

'Nate! You're here!' Poppy laughed and ran to meet him halfway. 'Mr Malfoy, Scorp, it's good to see the two of you again too.' Poppy said with a smile.

'Poppy, Dudley, nice to see you too.' Smiled Draco, directing the trunks to the ground gently. 'Nate, you should be gentler with that owl.'

'Oh he's okay,' said Nate, looking at Cinnamon. Indeed, the little owl seemed quite happy with his recent and wild ride.

Scorpius had glared at Poppy when she had greeted him, and turned to his father.

'Father, I'm meeting some friends on the train, and since Nathanial has found his, friend, I'll be going now. I'll write to you and mother soon.' He placed his owl on his trunk and lifted the both onto the train and into a compartment. Draco sighed.

'I have to apologise for my son's rudeness,' he said to Dudley and Harry, who had come back after securing Poppy's trunk in a compartment. Lily was waiting there so that Poppy would have a compartment for herself and Nate.

'It's all good,' said Harry. 'Although, he reminds me of you at his age.'

'That's what I'm worried about,' said Draco softly. 'Anyway, Nate, you and Poppy should have a fantastic year. Keep that owl out of trouble, and study hard.' Nate gave his father his promise, and a hug. The train whistle blew, signalling that the train was almost ready to leave. Draco and Harry took Nate's trunk to the train, and Dudley gave Poppy one last hug.

'Have fun sweetie. I love you.'

'Hey Poppy! You found Nate! Great! Come and get settled in this compartment, I want to go find my friends!' Yelled James from the train door.

Poppy turned and headed towards James. Nate turned to follow her but Dudley grabbed his arm before he could do so.

'Nate, before you go, I'd like to ask to you to please watch out for my Poppy. You're her only friend at Hogwarts, and I'd feel better knowing that someone was looking for her where I can't.'

'Of course Mr Dursley.' replied Nate. 'I'll do my best. Don't worry about Poppy, she'll be safe with me.'

'Thank you Nate,' said Dudley softly. 'And please, it's Dudley. Mr Dursley is my father. You'd better get going.'

'Nate, are you coming or not?' called Poppy. Nate smiled a last time at Dudley and caught up to Poppy.

'Where were you?' she asked him as they walked together with their owls to where James was waiting.

'Just tying my shoe,' replied Nate. 'Come on, let's go.'

They said a final goodbye through the window as the train began to leave. When they could no longer see their fathers, they sat down. James told them not to use any magic in the train, that soon the witch with the treat trolley would come around, and that before they arrived they should change into their robes. He also said that he would come and check on them as he had promised Harry and Dudley.

'So,' said Nate, after James had left. 'Who was that?'

'That was James, my cousin,' explained Poppy. 'He's protective. Where's your brother?'

'No clue,' Nate said as he settled Cinnamon on the seat next to him. 'Probably with his equally as stuck up friends somewhere.'

Poppy got Honey settled next to Cinnamon, and the two owls hooted softly at each other.

'I made up some special owl treats for Honey for the trip,' she told Nate as she pulled a container out of her bag. 'Is it okay if Cinnamon has some too? I got the recipe from Harry. Honey loves them.'

'Yeah, that's great, thanks Poppy.' said Nate. 'Cinnamon loves his food. And he's all healed up from Mum's cat, see?'

'Why did he annoy the cat again? Doesn't he ever learn?' Nate had written to Poppy two weeks ago telling her how Cinnamon had gotten into it with the cat again.

'I don't know, I think he just doesn't like cats is all. Hopefully he won't be too much trouble at school.'

'Speaking of school, I can't believe we're finally on our way!'

'I know right? I mean, I always knew I'd be going to Hogwarts, but you didn't even know about magic until this year! I wonder what houses we'll be sorted into?'

'Do you think we'll be in the same house?' asked Poppy shyly. She hoped that she and Nate would be in the same house, she was afraid that if they were in different houses that they would drift apart.

'I don't know,' said Nate thoughtfully. 'The sorting hat will decide for us where we belong. Scorp says every Malfoy ever has been in Slytherin, he's sure that I'll be a Slytherin too. But I've also heard that not every member of a family is sorted into the same house. I guess we'll find out when we get there. Don't worry Poppy, no matter which house we're in we'll still be friends.' He thought about the promise he had made to Dudley. He would look out for Poppy, no matter what.

The two friends continued to chat as the train passed through the country side. When the witch with the treats trolley came around, Nate bought a little bit of everything to share with Poppy. She loved the chocolate frogs, which hopped around the compartment. The first card she got was her Uncle Harry, who smiled and waved at her from the card. Poppy felt that it was a sign that everything would be fine.

'Are these beans really every flavoured?' Poppy asked Nate. 'I mean, like strawberry and banana and mint and all that?'

'Of course,' said Nate with a smile. 'But there's more than that in there. You can also get pepper or liver flavoured beans.'

'No way,' said Poppy as she popped a green one into her mouth. 'I don't believe y-oh yuck! What is this?' she spat out the bean and gaped at it. 'It tastes like spinach!'

Nate was almost in tears he was laughing so much. 'I, tried to, warn, you,' he gasped. 'They're every flavour beans!'

Poppy laughed too. They spent the next few minutes trying different coloured beans. Poppy was glad when the pink one she tried was strawberry.

'Hey guys,' said James, sliding the door open. 'Just came to check on you. We'll be arriving soon, so you should probably put your robes on. Leave your trunks on the train, they'll be delivered to your dorms before you get there.'

'What about our owls?' asked Poppy as she pulled her robes from her trunk and began putting them on.

'They'll be taken to the owlery to settle in. You can visit them in the morning. They'll be alright, don't worry. When we get off the train, follow me. I'll show you to Hagrid, he always accompanies the new first years to the castle.'

The train was starting to slow down. Poppy and Nate pressed close to the window to try and catch a glimpse of Hogwarts as they approached. Unfortunately, it was quite dark outside by now, so they didn't see much beyond the tracks.

The slid open again, and all three turned to see who had arrived this time.

'Hey Scorp,' said Nate brightly. 'James says we're almost there.'

'Nathanial, for the final time, stop calling me by that ridiculous nickname. Now get up, we're almost there and you need to leave the train with the other potential Slytherins.'

'Actually, I was going to leave with Poppy. Her cousin James is going to show us where to go. Why don't you come with us?'

Scorpius looked at James and sniffed.

'Potter.'

'Malfoy. How are you?' asked James politely. He had tried in the past to be friends with Scorpius, but the blond didn't seem to want to be friends, so James just made an effort to be polite.

'I'd be better if you and your family weren't corrupting my brother. He's going to be a Slytherin and has no need for Potters.'

'Poppy isn't actually a Potter,' said James calmly. 'She's my Dad's cousin's daughter, a Dursley. But she's as good as a Potter, which means that anyone who messes with her will answer to the rest of us.'

'And even if she was a Potter, so what?' interjected Nate angrily. 'She's my friend, and nothing you say can make me think otherwise. And I won't be going with you to meet some stuck up Slytherins and their brothers and sisters. I'm going with Poppy and James, and there's nothing you can do to stop me.' Nate sat down with his arms crossed.

'Mother and Father will hear of this,' hissed Scorpius as he turned and slammed his way out of the compartment.

'Nate,' whispered Poppy. 'Nate, you didn't have to fight with your brother. I would have been fine with James.'

'No Poppy,' said Nate with a small smile. 'I want to go with you. You're my friend.'

'And friends stick together,' said James firmly. 'I think you did the right thing Nate, sticking up for yourself and Poppy. Now come on, let's go.'

Nate and Poppy realized with a start that the train had stopped and that people were getting off. Poppy gave Honey and Cinnamon the last of the owl treats and told Honey that she would see her soon.

Once James had guided them off the train and onto the platform, he began to head for the front of the train, looking back now and then to make sure that Poppy and Nate were following him. Ahead of them, Hagrid loomed tall.

'Hello Hagrid!' called James as they approached. 'How are you?'

'James Potter! Is that you? Look at you, just as handsome as your dad was at your age. And who are these two tag-alongs you have here?' boomed Hagrid.

'This is my cousin, Poppy, Harry's niece,' explained James. 'And this is her friend, Nate Malfoy. I need to go find a carriage, you guys will be alright with Hagrid. I'll see you at the feast.'

'Hello Poppy, it's a pleasure to meet you,' said Hagrid, taking her small hand in his and giving her a vigorous shake. 'And another Malfoy is it?' he continued, glaring down at Nate.

'Hello sir,' said Nate politely. 'Yes, I'm a Malfoy. But please, call me Nate. Is it true that you're the Care of Magical Creatures teacher? Do you really train Thestrals and did you really hatch a dragon in your house?'

'I am, and yes, I train the Thestrals. As for the dragon, I did hatch her in my house, although at first I thought she was a he. As I recall, it was your father who tried to dob me in.'

'Well sir,' said Nate. 'I'm not my father. And I hope that we can be friends, because I am also an avid animal lover and would love to learn about the magical creatures here at Hogwarts.'

'Well, we'll see,' said Hagrid, softening up to Nate. He was clearly nothing like his father or older brother. 'Alright first years!' he boomed. 'Is everyone here? Yes? Right then, let's go!'

The group of first year students followed Hagrid to a fleet of small boats at the shore of the lake. At Hagrid's direction, they all climbed aboard. Poppy and Nate found themselves in a boat with a surly faced boy and girl who looked to be twins, and a dark skinned girl who seemed quite shy. As Hagrid raised his arm, all the boats gently took off gliding across the lake. The students gasped as the castle came into view. Poppy heard a splash and looked to the side. She grabbed Nate's arm as a green head raised itself and grinned at her.

'A mermaid!' breathed Nate. 'I'd heard there were mermaids in the lake but I didn't believe it.' The mermaid sank beneath the surface and wasn't seen again.

'Alright then first years,' said Hagrid as the boats landed on the far shore. 'Let's go. Time to for the sorting ceremony.'

They all followed Hagrid up to the castle and into a hall. There was a stern woman waiting for them there.

'Professor Fawlty, the first years.' said Hagrid with a slight bow.

'Thank you Hagrid,' said Professor Fawlty. 'I can take them from here.' Hagrid nodded and with a wink to Poppy and Nate, headed into the Great Hall to take his place at the teachers table. Professor Fawlty looked at the group of nervous first years. 'Welcome to Hogwarts.' she said.


	7. Chapter 7: The Sorting Ceremony

**Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own Harry Potter, all rights go to JK Rowling. I am just a fan.**

 **Note: To my lovely readers, I am so sorry about the delay in posting this next chapter. Since the last chapter was posted, my husband and I found out that we are expecting our first child! Understandably there was (and still is) lots of excitement from us and our families and friends, but there was also some scary parts. I was in emergency twice with bleeding early on, but everything is fine. I'm all good, baby is all good, and the morning sickness is finally fading, so I can get back into my writing and back to Poppy and co. I hope that you all enjoy this next chapter, I'll be starting work on the next very soon, I promise. Please let me know what you think!**

 **Chapter Seven: THE SORTING CEREMONY**

Professor Fawlty looked down at the group of nervous first years.

'All of you have displayed some magical ability, otherwise you wouldn't be here. In a few moments, you will follow me through these doors and into the Great Hall, where the rest of the school is waiting.' Professor Fawlty gestured at the grand doors behind her. Poppy and Nate craned their necks to get a better look. 'We will walk to the front of the hall, and you will stand quietly while we begin the Sorting. When you have been sorted, you will walk to your table and join your peers. After the sorting, the headmistress will give a short speech, then dinner will be served. After dinner, your house prefects will escort you to your dormitories. Classes will begin tomorrow, and you will receive your class schedules in the morning when you return to the Great Hall for breakfast. Now, everyone, please follow me.'

Professor Fawlty turned and led the group through the doors, which opened magically before her. The chatter in the Great Hall dimmed down as the first years followed Professor Fawlty down the middle of the room.

At the front of the room on the podium with the teachers table, there was a short stool upon which rested a battered old wizard's hat.

'That's the sorting hat,' whispered Nate to Poppy. 'Dad said we just put it on and it sorts us.'

Poppy nodded, and watched as Professor Fawlty unrolled a scroll of parchment.

'When I call your name,' she announced. 'You will come up here and sit on the stool. I will place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted. Let us begin. Anderson, Henry.'

The surly faced boy that had been in the boat with Poppy and Nate walked up to the stool and sat down. Professor Fawlty put the hat on his head, and it announced to to room in a loud voice 'Slytherin!' The Slytherin table cheered and the other tables clapped politely.

'Anderson, Amelia.' Said Professor Fawlty as Henry had taken his seat near Scorpious. Henry's twin sister saunted up and sat down. As soon as the hat touched her head, it pronounced her a Slytherin also.

As Professor Fawlty moved her way down the list of first years, Poppy began to feel nervous. She knew all of her cousins were in Gryffindor, but she really wanted to be in the same house as Nate.

'Dursley, Poppy.' Poppy started as Professor Fawlty said her name. Nate gave her a small push and Poppy walked to the stool. The hat came down on her head.

'Hello young witch,' came a soft voice in her ear. Harry had told Poppy that the hat would speak with her to decide where she belonged. 'Well, well. Related to Harry Potter are you? Let's see where I should put you. You're ambitious, I can feel how much you want to prove yourself, you'd do well in Slytherin. But you're also kind hearted and sweet in nature, good Hufflepuff traits. And you try new things even when they scare you, bravery is a Gryffindor requirement. But what's this? A thirst for knowledge, a love of books and learning. I think you'd do very well in RAVENCLAW!' the last word was shouted out loud to the Great Hall, and the Ravenclaw table erupted in cheers for it's first new student.

Poppy jumped down off the stool and headed over to the blue and bronze table with a smile on her face. She looked over at Nate and he gave her a thumbs up. Her cousins at the Gryffindor table were cheering for her too. She sat down between a couple of older students who shook her hand before turning back to the sorting ceremony.

The next few students were sorted into Syltherin, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor.

'Hopkins, Hazel.' The shy brown skinned girl from the boat was called up next. The hat announced that she was also a Ravenclaw. Poppy made room for her to sit next to her. She smiled at Hazel, who smiled shyly back.

A few more students were sorted before it was finally Nate's turn. He walked nervously to the stool and sat down. As the hat came down over his head, he closed his eyes.

'Well, well, well, another Malfoy. There's a few of you now.' Said the hat to him softly. 'Now let's see, every Malfoy I've sorted has gone to Slytherin, so how about-'

'Please not Slytherin,' thought Nate. 'I don't want to go into Slytherin.'

'Not Slytherin? It's been a while since I heard those words, and never from a Malfoy. Hmm, let's take a deeper look at you, shall we? I see a lot of loyalty, and a need to prove yourself different from your family, to set yourself apart from the rest. Slytherin and Gryffindor traits. There's also a lot of kindness in your heart, quite a lot. And what's this? A promise to someone? Hmm. Ah, there's a love of learning here as well. Well, I think that the best way you can keep your promise and still be the best you can be is to put you in RAVENCLAW!' Nate grinned as the Ravenclaw table cheered for him.

He hopped off the chair and skipped to the table to join Poppy and Hazel. There were a few suspicious looks from older students, but Nate was too happy to care. He received a couple of nods and a handshake from those around him. Nate looked over at the Slytherin table, a little afraid of Scorpious' reaction. His brother was glaring at him. Nate looked down at his plate before turning back to the rest of the sorting. Scorp didn't control his life, and he was in the same house as Poppy, which meant he could keep his promise to Dudley.

Poppy was happy too. She had gotten her wish, her and Nate in the same house. She also looked forward to getting to know Hazel.

After the last student was sorted into Hufflepuff, Professor Fawlty picked up the stool with the hat on it and carried them both out of the Great Hall before returning to take her place at the table. The headmistress stood up to begin her start of year speech.

'Welcome students, both new and old. It's a pleasure to see you all here tonight. I'm sure that you're all quite hungry, so I won't keep you for long. There are just a couple of things I'd like to say before the feast begins. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is out of bounds to all students, unless accompanied by a teacher for classes. Only third years and above are allowed to travel to Hogsmeade on weekends. And this year we have a change in staff. Mr Filch and Mrs Norris have retired,' Professor McGonnagal was interupted by cheers from the older students at this announcement. 'Miss Gilda Herringbone has replaced them, and has asked me to please inform all students that there is a new list of banned items outside her office. If you wish to discuss anything with her please feel free to do so. And now, let us eat.'

As Professor McGonnagal sat down, the platters on the tables magically filled with foods of all kinds. Poppy's eyes were wide as she took in roast lamb and pork, whole roast chickens, platters of vegetables, chicken wings, tureens of soups, and jugs of an orange juice.

'Come on Poppy, dig in!' said Nate as he started to load up his plate. Poppy smiled back and poured herself a glass of juice.

'Hazel, would you like some juice?' she asked.

'Yes please,' replied Hazel softly. 'Thank you.'

'You're welcome. Are you from a magical family?' asked Poppy as she poured the juice. She took a sip of her's and realised that it wasn't orange juice as she had first thought, but instead tasted like...pumpkins? It was different, and surpisingly nice.

'Um, no,' said Hazel quietly. 'I'm the first in my family. What about you and Nate?'

'I'm from a magical family,' said Nate, pouring gravy over his roast chicken. 'My brother is in his fifth year, and he's in Slytheryn, just like my parents were, and their parents, and so on. I'm the first Malfoy to not be in Slytheryn.'

'What about you Poppy?'

'Well, my Uncle Harry is magical, so is his wife and their kids, but my Dad is a muggle, and I didn't even know about magic until recently. Oh, here comes my cousin James now. He's in Gryffindor.'

'Hi Poppy, Nate. Congratulations on being sorted into Ravenclaw. You'll have your own prefects of course, but if you need anything feel free to ask me or one of the others. We are family afterall. Nate, your brother doesn't look happy. Maybe you should write to your parents tonight and just let them know about the sorting, okay?'

'Thanks James,' replied Nate. 'I was planning on writing to them tonight anyway, I just hope that Scorp understands in time.'

'I'm sure he will,' said James, clapping a hand on Nate's shoulder. 'Hang in there, it'll all work out in the end. I better get back to my dinner. Poppy, I'm sure you'll be writing to your dad tonight, but do you mind if I write and tell my dad about your sorting? I'm sure he'll be happy to hear you were sorted into Ravenclaw.'

'Yeah, that would be great, thanks James. I'm don't think that Honey could make two long trips in one night, she's so tiny.'

James left them to finish their dinner, and when the tables had cleared of the feast, the Ravenclaw prefects stood up to lead the new first years to their dorms.


End file.
